Golf swing training device with visual and audible alerts

ABSTRACT

A golf swing practice device comprises a pair of sensors for detecting the golfer&#39;s weight placed on address plates, a first circuit having a memory element for recording the proper weight shift during the course of a golf swing, and a second circuit having two sound generating elements providing output signals to generate three successive advising sounds from a chime. The interval of time between the generation of the first and second sounds may be adjusted by a regulator whereby the golfer may take the proper timing when initiating the downswing at the completion of the backswing. Further, the three successive sounds may be generated from a chime connected to the second circuit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a golf swing practice device and,particularly, to a device of the type which provides alerting soundsenabling a golfer to execute a golf swing with the proper timing andrhythm.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In order to execute a proper golf shot, a golfer is required toestablish a proper grip of the hands on a golf club, to establish aproper stance, to keep his eyes on the ball, to maintain the propertiming by which a downswing is initiated at the completion of abackswing or to maintain the proper rhythm in a golf swing, and thelike. The golfer may visually confirm whether or not the correct grip orstance is established. Accordingly, if improperly established,corrections may be made based upon the information derived frominstructors or instruction booklets. As to the above-mentioned grip orstance, however, the golfer is unable to confirm visually whether or notthe proper timing or rhythm in the golf swing are maintained in aconsistent manner, in that such is a matter of "feeling". Therefore,corrections of the improper timing or rhythm may not readily beaccomplished by any means except a considerable amount of practice.

It should be mentioned that the proper golf swing involves a series ofmovements that begins with an address, continues with a backswing, adownswing, an impact and a follow-through, and ends up with a finish. Asstated above, such a series of movements must be executed with theproper timing and rhythm. Above all, the tempo from the address to thetop of the backswing during which the golfer's weight has completelyshifted to the right foot, and timing by which the downswing, isinitiated at the completion of the backswing are by far the mostimportant factors of all. In other words, the perfection of the golfswing may be achieved when such tempo and timing are properly maintainedin a consistent manner.

A wide variety of golf swing practice devices have been proposed by theprior art to execute the proper golf swing by limiting or controllinghand or leg movements during the golf swing. However, such prior artdevices provide no means for teaching the proper timing and rhythm inthe golf swing, especially the timing by which the downswing isinitiated at the completion of the backswing.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide agolf swing practice device enabling a golfer to execute a golf swingwith the proper timing and rhythm, especially with the aid of alertingsounds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

These and other objects of the present invention will be more clear fromthe following description with reference to the accompanying drawing,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the construction of agolf swing practice device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIGS. 3(a)-3(h) illustrate lighting patterns as seen on the front panelof a weight shift indicator, corresponding to the weight placed onaddress plates during the course of a golf swing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated in FIG. 1, positioned underneath a pair of address plates(1),(1) are a pair of sensors (2),(2) for sensing a golfer's weight whenstanding on the plates. When the golfer, for instance, of 60 kg inweight stands proportionally on these address plates (1),(1), bothsensors (2),(2) are adapted to sense 30 kg respectively. Said sensors(2),(2) are connected to an amplifier circuit (3) for amplifying signalsdeveloped by said sensors (2),(2) corresponding to the weight placed onsaid address plates (1),(1), and to an oscillating circuit (4)respectively. Said amplifier circuit (3) is provided with a weight shiftindicator (5) so that the golfer may learn the relative weightdistribution of the two feet during the golf swing with the aid of apredetermined lighting pattern of a plurality of indicator lights (15).Said weight shift indicator (5) is placed in front of the address plates(1),(1). As is clear in FIG. 3, when the golfer's weight isproportionally placed on the address plates (1),(1), the indicatorlights in the central region of the row of indicator lights (15) areadapted to be lighted. As the weight is shifted to the right foot, theindicator lights in the right region of said row of indicator lights(15) are adapted to be lighted progressively. Conversely, as the weightis shited to the left foot, the indicator lights in the left region ofsaid row of indicator lights (15) are adapted to be lightedprogressively. Accordingly, the golfer may visually confirm, with theaid of the weight shift indicator (5), whether the weight is properlyshifted to the right foot during an address in FIG. 3a to a backswing inFIG. 3c, or whether the weight is properly shifted to the left footduring such movements of the golf swing as from the top of the backswingin FIG. 3d to a finish in FIG. 3h by way of a downswing in FIG. 3e, animpact in FIG. 3f and a followthrough in FIG. 3g.

A first circuit (6) is connected to said amplifier circuit (3) andoscillating circuit (4). Said first circuit (6) comprises a memoryelement M1 which records the state of a proper weight shift to the rightfoot during the backswing movements as shown in FIG. 3b through FIG. 3cand the state of a proper weight shift to the left foot during themovements as shown in FIG. 3f through FIG. 3h by means of the signalsfrom said sensors (2),(2).

Said second circuit (7) includes a sound generating element M2 whichdevelops a signal for a "first sound" representing the state of theproper weight shift to the right foot and a sound generating element M3which develops a signal for a "third sound" representing the state ofthe proper weight shift to the left foot during the movements of thegolf swing as shown in FIGS. 3e through 3h. Said sound generatingelement M2 also develops another signal for a "second sound"representing the proper timing by which the downswing is initiated withan instantaneous "pose" after the backswing is completed. The soundgenerating element M2 is provided with a regulator (9) so that aninterval of time between the first and the second sounds is adjustableby means thereof. The adjustment may be made depending upon the timingwhich the golfer may take when the downswing is initiated at thecompletion of the backswing. Further, each of said first, second andthird sounds is adapted to be generated from a chime (8) connected tothe second circuit (7). It is, of course, understood that the use of thechime constitutes the preferred embodiment of the present invention,although any suitable form of sound generating means may alternativelybe employed.

As is clear from the preceding paragraphs, when the weight is properlyshifted to the right foot during the backswing movements as shown inFIG. 3b through FIG. 3c, the first sound may be generated from the chime(8) by means of the sound generating element M2. Subsequentlythereafter, the second sound may be generated with the instantaneous"pose" preselected by the regulator (9) so as to inform the golfer ofthe proper timing by which the downswing is to be initiated at thecompletion of the backswing. Furthermore, when the weight is poperlyshifted to the left foot at the completion of the golf swing, the soundgenerating element M3 receives the signal from the memory element M1 anddevelops the signal for the third sound. The above-mentioned threesounds may successively be generated with a predetermined interval oftime between each sound when the weight shift, first to the right footand then to the left foot, is properly executed during the course of thegolf swing in FIG. 3a through FIG. 3h. When, however, the weight shiftto the right foot during the backswing or to the left foot after theimpact, is improperly executed, the three sounds may not be generated.

As hereinabove stated, the golf swing practice device according to thepresent invention is intended to check the proper weight shift duringthe course of the golf swing and to generate three successive soundsserving as a guide to execution of a proper golf swing with the propertiming and rhythm. Thus, the golfer may learn that when the threesuccessive sounds are not generated, the weight is not properly shiftedeither to the right foot or to the left foot. In addition, in the golfswing practice device according to the present invention, after thefirst sound is generated, the interval of time between the generation ofthe first and the second sounds may be preset. Accordingly, by takingadvantage thereof, the proper timing and rhythm in the golf swing may beacquired in a consistent manner.

While the present invention has been described with reference to asingle embodiment, it will be apparent that changes and modificationsmay be made without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A golf swing practice device, comprising:a pairof address plates for supporting the two feet of a golfer at address; apair of sensors operatively positioned beneath said pair of addressplates for producing signals corresponding to the weight placed on saidaddress plates; a first circuit coupled to said sensors and including amemory element adapted to record the relative weight distribution of thetwo feet of the golfer during the course of a golf swing in response tothe signals produced by said sensors; a second circuit including a firstsound generating element operative to develop signals for a first soundrepresenting a state in which the golfer's weight is properly shifted tothe right foot and a second sound representing a proper timing at whicha downswing is initiated upon completion of a backswing by the golfer,and a second sound generating element operative to develop a third soundrepresenting a state wherein the golfer's weight is properly shifted tothe left foot, and sound means for generating said first, said secondand said third sounds; and regulator means associated with said firstsound generating element for enabling an interval of time between saidfirst and said second sounds to be adjusted by the golfer.
 2. A devicefor indicating the weight distribution of a golfer and alerting thegolfer of proper timing to initiate a downswing at the completion of abackswing, comprising:a pair of address plates adapted to support thefeet of a golfer; a pair of sensors mounted on the undersides of saidaddress plates and adapted to develop signals in response to a golfer'sweight as applied by the golfer's feet on said plates; a first circuitincluding a memory element adapted to record distribution of thegolfer's weight between the feet of the golfer during all phases of agolf swing based on the signals developed by said sensors; a secondcircuit operatively connected to the first circuit and including a firstsound generating element for developing signals for a first sound and asecond sound, said first sound being representative of a properdistribution of the golfer's weight to the right in conjunction with abackswing, and said second sound being representative of a proper timingto initiate a downswing at the completion of the backswing; and a secondsound generating element for developing a signal for a third sound whichis representative of a proper distribution of the golfer's weight to theleft on the downswing through a finish; a weight distribution indicatorincluding a plurality of indicator lamps adapted to indicate therelative weight distribution of the golfer during the golf swing; meanselectrically connected to the second circuit, for generating said first,said second and said third sounds in a sequential manner with certaintime intervals therebetween in response to the signals developed by thesound generating element, and only in the event that a properdistribution of the golfer's weight is effected through the golf swing;and regulator means adapted to adjust the interval of time between thefirst sound and the second sound.